Shipping and display containers



Aug. 27, 1957 Y 'J. M. Nass 2,804,254

SHIPPING AND DISPLAY CONTAINERS l' Filed June 6, .1955 5 Sheets-She 1 FIG.I.

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el 62,63 s4 65 Aug 27, 1957 J. M.'NEss 2,804,254

SHIPPING AND DISPLAY CONTAINERS Aug. 27, 1957 J. M 'NEs' SHIPPING AND DISPLAY CONTAINERS Filed June 6, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 www."

FIGS.'

United States Patent 2,804,254 SHIPPING AND DISPLAY CONTAINERS JamesM. Ness, Metuchen, N. J., assignor to Frankfort Distilleries, Incorporated, Louisville, Ky., a corporation of Delaware Application June 6, 1955, Serial No. 513,541

Claims. (Cl. 229-28) This invention relates to containers, and more particularly to shipping cartons, made of corrugated paper board or the like. Although the shipping cartons made according to the invention may 'be used for packing and shipping various kinds of products, it is especially adapted for packing and shipping bottled products, such as whiskey.v

-It is common practice in the whiskey producing industry for the producer to ship whiskey in case lots of twelve bottles each. Usually, the twelve bottles, making up the case, are packed and shipped in a carton of rectangular cross sect-ion, the bott-les resti-ng in the Vcarton in four rows, and'three bottles in a row; a criss-cross insert of corrugated paper board being set in the container so that the |adjacent bottles Iare separated from each other by a protective shock absorbing partition. Although this type of shipping carton has served satisfactorily for shipping purposes, it does not lend itself for use as adisplay container for the contents of the carton after itis received by the retailer. A

'Ilhis invention provides a shipping carton for bottled products which is strong and durable and which can be formed froma one-piece blank and when set up and sealed serves admirably yas a shipping carton,'the bottles being packed in two rows having an equal number of bottles in a row. -For example, it the shipping carton is designed for shipping a case of Whiskey (twelve bottles), the bottles rest in the carton intwo rows of six each. Later on, if desired, the shipping `carton may be split in two by 'a simple operationto form two smaller containers, eachV of which containsa si-ngle row of bottles conveniently packaged for sale. Furthermore, the sealed shipping carton, containing the bottled goods may be utilized as an attractive display container for the contents.

Although the novel features whic'h'are believed to be characteristic of the invention areset forth in the annexed claims, the invention itself as to its objects .and advantages and Ithe manner in which it may be carried out, may be better understood by reference to the following description taken in connectionV with the accompany-ing drawings forming a parthereof, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a one-piece blank, which, when folded, forms the shipping carton;

Eig- 2 is a plan view showing the blank after cert-ain foldingpoperations in the course of setting` up the carton from the blank shown i-n Fig. 1;

Fig. V3 is a plan view showing the blank after further folding operations, in the cou-rse of setting up the carton;

Fig. -4 is a view in perspective showing the carton further along inthe course of being set up;

Fig. 5 is a Vview inperspective showing the carton, just prior to folding the bottom wall flaps;

Fig. u6 is a fragmentary view, and partly broken away, showing the interior longitudinal partition walls which separate the carton into two separate bottle holding compartments; y' v 'Fig'. 7 is a perspective View of the shipping carton after it has been set up, packed, and sealed;

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Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the packed carton after it has been split in two, 'to lserve as a display container;

Fig. 9 is a view in cross section of the packed shipping carton, on line 9-9 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 10 is a view in cross section of the packed shipping carton, on 'line 10-10 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 1l is .a fragmentary view to illustrate a modification and =how the blank may be perforated, if desired, to facilitate splitting the carton in two; and

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary elevational view to illustrate a modification.

`In the following disclosure the shipping carton is, for convenience of description, described in connection with the packing and shipping of whiskey in standard size quart bottles, but it will be understood that a shipping container may be constructed according t-o the invention, for other products packaged in bottles of any'given size or other individual containers, such as canned or other goods put up in individual units; and, it will be understood that where the term bottle as used in the claims, the term is intended to include such other individual container units.

Referring now to the drawings, in which like reference characters, indicate simil-ar parts throughout the several views, the one-piece blank B, shown in Fig. l, is cut from corrugated paper board or other similar material suitablefor a shipping carton and scored so that when folded or set up it will form the shipping carton, as illustrated in other views, as described hereinafter. The blank B comprises a -front side panel 10, a first end panel 11, a back side panel 12 a-nd a second end panel 13. The blank is scored on line 14 between panels 10 and 11 and on 15 between panels 11 and 12 and on line lbetween panels 12 and 13.. 'Ihe panel-connecting flap 17 (so-metimes called a glue flap) extends from panel 10 and is divided therefrom by score line 18. Extending from panel 10 is a bottom wall panel 19, divided from panel 10 by score line 20. Extending from panel 19 is a partition panel 21, divided from panel 19 by score line 22. Extending from panel 21'is a top-wall ap 23 divided from panel 21 by score line 24. A-bottom wall panel 29 extends from panel 12-and is divided therefrom by score line 30. A partition panel 31 extends from panel 29 and is divided therefrom by score line 32. As described in further detail "hereafter, panel 19 and 29 each form a half bott-om wall and together form a Vbottom for the shipping container when it is set up. A top-wall flap 33 extends from panel 31 and is divided therer-om by score line 34. AV rst bottom wall flap35 extends from the first end panel 111 and is divided therefrom lby score line 36. A second bottom wall flap 37- extends from the second end panel 13 and is divided therefrom by Iscore line 38. Ext-ending from panel 11 is a pair of turn-in flaps 40 and 41, divided therefrom by score li-ne 42. Extending Ifrom panel 13 is a similar pair of turn-in flaps 44 and 45 divi-ded therefrom by score line 46. Extending from pan-el 10 and from panel 12 are top-wall flaps 47 and 49 divided from said panels by score lines 48 and 50.

Partition panel 21 is cut and scored to provide a row of shock absorbing divider panels 51, 52, 53, 54, 55 and partition panel 31 isA cut and scored to provide a corresponding row of shock absorbing divider panels 61, 62, 63, 64, 65. These divider panels are alike and it will be adequate to'desc'ribe one of them as typical. The board is cut through on cut lines 56, 57, 5S and scored on line 59 so that the divider panel 52 may be folded upwardly from the plane of the panel 21 as viewed in Fig. 1 on the line 59 which is herein referred to as a hinge line. When divider panel 52 is folded on the hinge line to lie at right angles to the plane of panel 21` it will provide an open window, as described in further detail hereinafter'. Thus when 4dividers 51 to 55 are similarly folded there is provided a row of windows and the ydividersi form a like numton is set up and the same applies to the dividers 61 to 65 l in panel 31.

1 One manner` of folding or setting up and pakingthe shipping carton is as follows: f '7 Panels `21 and 31 -are folded'on score lines '2 2y and'32 so that the inside surface 21'zof the panelflies against the inside surface a of panel 1t?` and inside surface 31a of panel 31 lies against inside surfacel 12a of panel `12, as shown in Fig. 2. It will be noted that the facesurface` 2lb of panel 21 and face surface 31b of panel 31 are now exposed (asin Fig. 2) and that the faces of these panels may be embellished in any manner or these surfaces may serve as space for advertising or with designs 60 which have aesthetic appeal. As will be mentioned laterfon, these faces become exposed when the shippingcartonis subsequently split in two.

The next folding step is illustrated in Fig. 3, `wherein it will be observed that panel 10 together with the now folded in panel 21 is folded on score line 14 so that the face 2lb of panel 21 lies face to face on face 31b of panel 31. Then end panel 13 is folded von score line 16, so that the edge 66 of panel 13 meets and registers with score line 18 of-panel 10 with the connecting flap 17 underlying the end panel. The connecting flap may be glued, or stapled to the end panel or the seam may be taped or the parts may be secured in any other conventional manner. Or, the connecting ap may be put on the end panel 13 instead of the side panel 10. If desired, the partially formed carton may be shipped or stored in this flat condition as shown in Fig. 3.

To proceed with setting up the shipping carton, the partially set up box is opened to form a tubular shape of rectangular cross section, the front and rear walls 10, 12 and end walls 11, 13, forming the rectangular tube with the partition panels 21 and 31 extending upwardly within 'the tube as illustrated in Fig. 4.

i 47 is folded on to flap 23.

The top-wall flaps 49, 47 are secured to the top surfaces of the underlying flaps by staples, or by adhesive or by an adhesive tape 72 along the seam where the edges 73, 74 of the top flaps 47, 49 meet (see Figs. 7 and 9). The shipping carton, designated S, packed and-sealed and containing twelve bottles (referred `to in the trade as a case of whiskey) is ready for transportation or shipment, as illustrated in Fig. 7.

The shipping carton is not only useful for storing, transporting or shipping the whiskey but isdesigned to be utilized as a display container.` For example, the retailer, who receives the case of whiskey in the shipping container S, may easily split the carton in two by cutting bottom, top and end walls of the cartonH along their center lines, viz., the dotted line 75, which separates the `carton into two smaller containers, C1 and C2, each containing six bottles (a half case). For convenience of description, containers C1 and ,C2v are referred to herein as right hand container or compartment 'C2 and left 'hand container or compartment C1.

If desired, the second end wall 11 maybe left unsevered to provide a hinge 76 between the twoy containers C1 and C2 and the containers may be spread apart as illustrated in Fig. 8, thus exposing the embellished faces 2lb and 31b Next, bottom panels 19 and 29 are pushed upwardly toward the interior of the carton so that they lie at right angles to the vertical front and rear side walls 10 and 12,

'as illustrated in Fig. l5 (side wall 12 not visible in this i figure). This folding step forces the partition panels 21, 31 further upwardly into the carton.

Then the bottom wall flaps 35, 37 are turned in on score lines 36, 38 at right angles to the vertical end panels 11, 13 and secured to the bottom panels 19, 29 (see Fig. 6).4 The bottom flaps 35, 37 may be secured to the bottom surfaces of panels 19, 29 by adhesive, by stapling or Vin any conventional manner.

The carton as thus set up is now ready to be packed. Six bottles'68 in a row 68a are placed in the container space 70 formed by rear side wall 12, end walls 11, 13 and the partition panel 31 and six bottles 68 in a row 68b are placed in the container space 71 formed by the front side wall panel 10, end walls 11, 13 and the partition panel 21 (see Fig. 10). It will be observed that the dividers 51 to 55 in panel v21 have been folded inwardly toward side wall 10 forming shock absorber partitions between yadjacent bottles 68 in row'68b, which leaves the windows 51a to 55a open. Dividers 61 to 65 in panel 31 have been folded inwardly toward side wall 12 forming shock absorber partitions between adjacent bottles 68 in row 68a which leaves the windows 61a to 65a open. The bottoms of the bottles in row 68a rest upon bottom panel 29 and the bottoms of the bottles in `row 68b restupon bottom panel 19. The faces 2lb and 31b of partition panels 21 and 31 engage each other in face to face relation.

The shipping carton having been packed in the two separate compartments, a row of six bottles (half a case of whiskey) in-each, turn-in flaps 41, 44 are folded inwardly between top-wall aps 33, 49 and turn-in aps 40,

are folded inwardly between top-wall tlaps 23, 47.

Then top-wall ap 33 is folded down on aps 41, 44 and Ytop-wall ilap 23 is folded down on flaps 40, 45. Then .topwall ap 49 isdfoldedhon to flap 33 and top-wall flap p row (a halt` case of whiskey).

and exposing the open windows 51a to 55a and 61a to 65a so that the bottles 68 and their attached labels are exposed to the viewer through the open windows; thus providing an attractive `display container. If the customer should desire to purchase a half case, and nota full case, the containers C1 and C2 may be cut along hinge line 76 (see Fig. 8) to separate them and the retailer then has the bottles prepackaged in an attractive container. t This half case container may then be conveniently wrapped by him and carried by the customer.

It will be observed that the partition panel 21 forms a side wall for container C1 and panel 19 forms a bottom wall ,upon which the bottles in that container rest, and flap 23 which extends from partition panel 21, together with flap 47 extending from sidev panel 10 forms a top closure for container C1. Partition panel 31 forms a side wall for container C2 and panel 29 forms a bottom wall upon which the bottles in that container rest, and flap 33, which extendsk from partition panel 31, together with flap 49 extending from side panel 12 forms a top closure for container C2." v A l As illustrated in the fragmentary View of Fig. 12,` the windows in the partition panels 21a (corresponding to partition panels 21 in Fig. 10) may, if desired, be ovaloid in shape, to provide shock absorber dividers 51b and 52h, for separating adjacent bottles in' the carton. Also, `if desired, the blank may be perforated along the dotted lines to provide perforations 75a in the corrugated board so that the shipping container may be split in two along the perforated line. However, the walls of the vshipping carton should not be so weakened as to lessen the strength of walls of the carton to an extent which might cause damage to the contents when the packed carton is handled.

In the foregoing, a shipping carton has been described for holding two rows of bottles, six in a row, but it will be apparent from the foregoing description that a carton may be constructed according to the invention for packing a lesser even number of bottles, equally divided into two rows: for example, two rows of bottles, three in a Also reference has been made to front and rear4 side walls and rst and second `end walls, etc., but it will be understood that these terms have 'been used for convenience of description, as the various walls will be front, rear or end depending upon the orientation.

The terms and expressions which have been employed hereinare used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention in the use of such terms vand expressions of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but it is recognized that various modifications are possblewithin the scope of the invention claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A shipping carton for bottles and the like produced from a one-piece blank of paper board to provide a right hand and a left hand bottle holding compartment constituting a pair of connected together containers, said carton comprising a vertical rst end wall panel, a vertical second end wall panel in a plane parallel with said rst end panel, a vertical front side wall panel at right angles to said end panels, a vertical rear side wall panel parallel with said front panel, a first bottom panel extending from the bottom end of said front side panel at right angles to said front side panel and extending to a center line parallel with and midway between said front and rear panels, said rst bottom panel extending over half the area of the bottom of said carton, a rst partition panel extending upwardly from said iirst bottom panel from said center line in a plane parallel with the planes of said front and rear panels, a first top-wall flap extending from the upper end of said tirst partition panel toward said front panel at right angles thereto, a second bottom panel extending from the bottom end of said rear panel at right angles thereto and extending to said center line, said second bottom panel extending over the other half of the area of the bottom of said carton, a second partition panel extending upwardly from said second bottom panel from said center line in a plane parallel with the planes of said front and rear panels and in face to face engagement with said upwardly extending first partition panel, a plurality of divider members cut out from and integral with said first partition panel and extending toward said front panel in planes substantially at right angles to said partition panels, a plurality of divider members cut out from and integral with said second partition panel and extending toward said rear panel in planes substantially at right angles to said partition panels, a second top-wall ilap extending from the upper end of said second partition panel toward said rear panel at right angles thereto, a first bottom ap extending from the lower end of said tirst end panel and at right angles thereto and secured to the under surfaces of said rst and second bottom panels, a second bottom flap extending from the lower end of said second end panel and at right angles thereto and secured to the under surfaces of said lirst and second bottom panels, a third top-wall flap extending from the upper end of said front panel toward said rear panel and at right angles thereto, a fourth top-wall flap extending from the upper end of said rear panel toward said front panel and at right angles thereto, said top-wall flaps providing a top wall for said carton, a turn-in flap extending from the upper end of said rst end panel and lying under said rst top-wall ap, a turn-in ap extending from the upper end of said rst end panel and lying under said second topwall ap, a turn-in ap extending from the upper end of said second end panel and lying under said rst top-wall ilap, a turn-in ap extending from the upper end of said second end panel and lying under said second top-wall flap, said carton providing two separate bottle holding containers when said top, bottom and end walls of said carton are severed in a plane between said face to face engaging partition panels.

2. A carton constructed according to claim 1 and adapted for packaging in two rows an even number of like bottles of conventional shape having cylindrical body portions in which the width Iof said bottom panels is approximately equal to the diameter of the cylindrical portion of a bottle and the length of said bottom panels is equal to approximately the diameter of the cylindrical portion of a bottle multiplied by one half the number of bottles.

3. A carton constructed according to claim 1 in which the ends of the bottom aps meet midway between said end panels.

4. A carton constructed according to claim 3 in which the ends of the said third and fourth top-cover aps meet midway between said front and rear panels.

5. A carton constructed according to claim 4 in which an adhesive tape covers the joint where said third and fourth top-cover aps meet.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 713,216 Henning Nov. l1, 1902 2,290,971 King July 28, 1942 2,342,623 Aquino Feb. 22, 1944 2,359,986 Grecco Oct. 10, 1944 2,596,331 Ferguson May 13, 1952 2,614,745 Fallert Oct. 21, 1952 2,686,000 Berke Aug. 10, 1954 

